Brewer offers pubs credit on unused kegs

It seems there is something worse than a pub with no beer – it's a pub with no need for its beer.

That's the conundrum facing clubs and bars across Australia as they deal with the effects of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, and brewer Lion is doing its best to mitigate the pain.

While bottle shops can continue to trade cases of amber ale, pubs can no longer sell tap beers, meaning they have no use for their supply of kegs.

Australian brewing giant Lion, which boasts Tooheys, XXXX and Furphy among its array of beer labels, is crediting 60,000 unused kegs across the nation.

It has offered to give licensed establishments full credit for their unused stock, as well as paying for transport costs associated with the return of the kegs.

Lion has already been inundated with 10,000 requests for help from business owners and managers.

"We knew every pub and bar owner was going to face a horrendous day and we wanted kegs to be one less thing to worry about. It was the right thing to do," Lion managing director James Brindley told AAP.

"We acknowledge this is an extremely distressing time for everyone involved in the hospitality industry."

All pubs, clubs and licensed venues were forced to turn off the taps on March 24 as part of the first wave of the federal government's crackdown on social gatherings.

There is no indication when the beer will start flowing again, with the potential for doors to be shut for six months.

Some businesses have taken to offering takeaway food and alcohol, including cocktails, in a bid to minimise the financial impact of not being allowed to have patrons inside their premises.